[Sidenote: Destiny or Fate is that inherent state or condition of
movable things by means whereof Providence retains them in the
order in which she has placed them.
movable things by means whereof Providence retains them in the
order in which she has placed them.
Chaucer - Boethius
at mowen
ben axed. ? And to ? e whiche questiou{n} vnne? [e]s is
? ere au? t ynow to lauen it. as who sei? . vnne? es is ? er 3832
suffisauntly any ? ing to answere p{er}fitly to ? i questiou{n}.
[Sidenote: For the subject is of such a kind, that when one doubt
is removed, innumerable others, like the heads of the hydra,
spring up. ]
? For ? e matere of it is swiche ? at whan oon doute is [[pg 134]]
determined {and} kut awey ? er wexe{n} o? er doutes wi? -outen
nou{m}bre. ry? t as ? e heuedes waxen of ydre ? e 3836
serpent ? at hercules slou? .
[Sidenote: Nor would there be any end of them unless they were
restrained by a quick and vigorous effort of the mind. ]
? Ne ? ere ne were no
man{er}e ne noon ende. but yif ? at a wy? t co{n}streined[e]
? o doutes. by a ry? t lyuely {and} a quik fire of ? ou? t. ? at
is to seyn by vigo{ur} {and} streng? e of witte.
[Sidenote: The question whereof you want a solution embraces the
five following points: 1. Simplicity, or unity of Providence. 2.
The order and course of Destiny. ]
? For in 3840
? is matere me{n} weren wont to maken questiou{n}s of ? e
simplicite of ? e p{ur}ueaunce of god {and} of ? e ordre of
destine.
[Sidenote: 3. Sudden chance. 4. Prescience of God, and divine
predestination. 5. Free-will. ]
{and} of sodeyne hap. {and} of ? e knowyng {and}
p{re}destinac{i}ou{n} deuine {and} of ? e lyberte of fre wille. 3844
? e whiche ? ing ? ou ? i self ap{er}ceiust wel of what wey? t
? ei ben. but for as mochel as ? e knowynge of ? ise
? inges is a manere porc{i}ou{n} to ? e medicine to ? e. al be it
so ? at I haue lytel tyme to don it.
[Sidenote: I will try to treat of these things:--]
? it na? eles I wole 3848
enforcen me to shewe somwhat of it. ? but al ? ou?
? e norissinges of dite of musike delite? ? e ? ow most
suffren. {and} forberen a litel of ? ilk delite while ? at I
weue (contexo) to ? e resou{n}s yknyt by ordre ? As it like? 3852
to ? e q{uo}d I so do.
[Sidenote: Resuming her discourse as from a new principle,
Philosophy argued as follows:--]
? ? o spak she ry? t a[s] by an o? er
bygynnyn[ge] {and} seide ? us.
[Sidenote: The generation of all things, every progression of
things liable to change, and everything that moveth, derive their
causes, order, and form from the immutability of the divine
understanding. ]
? ? e enge{n}drynge of alle
? inges q{uo}d she {and} alle ? e progressiou{n}s of muuable
nat{ur}e. {and} alle ? {a}t moeue? in any manere taki? hys 3856
causes. hys ordre. {and} hys formes. of ? e stablenesse of ? e
deuyne ? ou? t
[Sidenote: Providence directs all things by a variety of means. ]
[{and} thilke deuyne thowht] ? at is yset {and}
put in ? e toure. ? at is to seyne in ? e hey? t of ? e simplicite
of god. stablisi? many manere gyses to ? inges ? at 3860
ben to don.
[Sidenote: These means, referred only to the divine intelligence,
are called Providence; but when contemplated in relation to the
things which receive motion and order from them, are called
Destiny. ]
? ? e whiche manere whan ? at men loken
it i{n} ? ilke pure clerenesse of ? e deuyne i{n}telligence. it
is ycleped p{ur}ueaunce ? but whan ? ilke manere is referred
by me{n} to ? inges ? at it moeue? {and} dispone? ? an [[pg 135]]
of olde men. it was cleped destine.
[Linenotes:
3823 _byhy? t_--by-hyhte
3824 _hidde_--hyd
3826 _preye_--p{re}ey
_diuise_--deuyse
3827 _do_--don
3828 _gretely_--gretly
3829 [_what_]--from C.
3832 _? ere au? t_--ther awht
3834 _swiche_--swych
_oon_--o
3835 _wi? outen noumbre_--w{i}t{h}-owte nowmbyr
3836 _waxen_--wexen
3837 _? ere_--ther
3838 _constreined[e]_--constreynede
3839 _lyuely_--lyfly
3840 _witte_--wit
3843 _hap_--happe
3845 _wey? t_--wyht
3848 _wole_--wol
3850 _? ow_--MS. now, C. ? {o}u
_most suffren_--MS. moste to souereyne; C. most suffren
3851 _? ilk_--thilke
3853 _? o_--so
_spak_--MS. spake, C. spak
_a[s]_--as
3856 _alle_--al
3858 [_and----thowht_]--from C.
_yset_--MS. ysette, C. yset
3859 _toure_--towr
_seyne_--seyn
_hey? t_--heyhte
3861 _don_--done
3862 _clerenesse_--klennesse]
[Headnote:
OF FATE AND PROVIDENCE. ]
[Sidenote: Reflection on the efficacy of the one and the other
will soon cause us to see their differences. ]
? ? e whiche 3865
? inges yif ? at any wy? t loke? wel in his ? ou? t.
? e streng? e of ? at oon {and} of ? at o? er he shal ly? tly mowen
seen ? at ? ise two ? inges ben diuers.
[Sidenote: Providence is the divine intelligence manifested in the
disposition of worldly affairs. ]
? For p{ur}ueau{n}ce 3868
is ? ilke deuyne resou{n} ? at is establissed in ? e souereyne
p{r}ince of ? inges. ? e whiche p{ur}ueaunce disponi? alle
? inges.
[Sidenote: Destiny or Fate is that inherent state or condition of
movable things by means whereof Providence retains them in the
order in which she has placed them. ]
but destine is ? e disposic{i}ou{n} {and} ordenaunce
cleuynge to moeuable ? inges. by ? e whiche disposic{i}ou{n} 3872
? e p{ur}ueaunce knyte? alle ? inges in hire ordres.
[Sidenote: Providence embraces all things, although diverse and
infinite; but Fate gives motion to every individual thing, and in
the place and under the form appropriated to it. ]
? For p{ur}ueaunce enbrace? alle ? i{n}ges to hepe. al ? ou? ? at
? ei ben dyuerse {and} al ? ou? ? ei ben wi? outen fyn. but
destynie dep{ar}te? {and} ordeyne? alle ? inges singlerly 3876
{and} diuide? . in moeuynges. in places. in formes. in
tymes. dep{ar}ti? [as] ? us.
[Sidenote: So that the explication of this order of things wrapt
up in the divine intelligence is Providence; and being unfolded
according to time and other circumstances, may be called Fate. ]
so ? at ? e vnfoldyng of temp{or}el
ordenaunce assembled {and} ooned in ? e lokyng of
? e deuyne ? ou? t ? Is p{ur}ueaunce {and} ? ilke same 3880
assemblynge. {and} oonyng diuided {and} vnfolden by
tymes. lat ? at ben called destine.
[Sidenote: Though these things appear to differ, yet one of them
depends on the other, for the order of Fate proceeds from the
unity of Providence. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 30 _b_. ]]
{and} al be *it so ? at
? ise ? inges ben dyuerse. ? itte na? eles hange? ? at oon
on ? at o? er. forwhi ? e ordre destinal p{ro}cedi? of ? e 3884
simplicite of purueaunce.
[Sidenote: For as a workman, who has formed in his head the plan
of a work which he is desirous to finish, executes it afterwards,
and produces after a time all the different parts of the model
which he has conceived;]
for ry? t as a werkma{n} ? at
ap{er}ceiue? in hys ? ou? t ? e forme of ? e ? ing ? at he wil
make moeue? ? e effect of ? e werke. {and} ledi? ? at he
had[de] loked byforne in hys ? ou? t symply {and} p{re}sently 3888
by temp{or}el ? ou? t.
[Sidenote: so God in the plan of his Providence disposes
everything to be brought about in a certain order and in a proper
time;]
? Certys ry? t so god disponi?
in hys p{ur}ueaunce singlerly {and} stably ? e ? inges
? at ben to done. but he amynistre? in many maneres
{and} in dyuerse tymes by destyne. ? ilke same ? inges 3892
? at he ha? disponed ? an whe? ir ? at destine be excercised.
[Linenotes:
3872 _cleuynge_--clyuynge
3875 _wi? outen fyn_--Infynyte
3876 _singlerly_--syngulerly
3877 _in_ (3)--MS. {and}, C. in
3878 _departi? _--omitted
[_as_]--from C.
_so ? at_--lat
3884 _on_--of
3886 _wil_--wol
3888 _had[de]_--hadde
_symply_--symplely
3889 _? ou? t_--ordinau{n}ce
3890 _singlerly_--syngulerly
_stably_--stablely
3893 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
PROVIDENCE CONTROLS FATE. ]
[Sidenote: and afterwards, by the ministry of Fate, he
accomplishes what he has planned, conformably to that order and
that time. ]
ey? er by so{m}me dyuyne spirites seruaunte? to
? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce. or ellys by so{m}me soule (a{n}i{m}a
mundi). or ellys by al nature seruynge to god. or ellys [[pg 136]]
by ? e celestial moeuyng of sterres. or ellys by ? e vertue 3897
of aungels. or ellys by ? e dyuerse subtilite of deueles.
or ellys by any of he{m}. or ellys by hem alle ? e destynal
ordynau{n}ce is ywouen or accomplissed. certys it is open 3900
? ing ? at ? e p{ur}ueaunce is an vnmoeueable {and} symple
forme of ? inges to done. {and} ? e moeueable bonde {and}
? e temp{or}el ordynaunce of ? inges whiche ? at ? e deuyne
simplicite of p{ur}ueaunce ha? ordeyned to done. ? at is 3904
destine.
[Sidenote: So then, however Fate be exercised, it is evident that
things subject to Destiny are under the control of Providence,
which disposes Destiny. ]
For whiche it is ? at alle ? inges ? at ben put
vndir destine ben certys subgit? to p{ur}ueaunce. to
whiche p{ur}ueaunce destine it self is subgit {and} vndir.
[Sidenote: But some things under Providence are exempt from the
control of Fate; being stably fixed near to the Divinity himself,
and beyond the movement of Destiny. ]
? But so{m}me ? inges ben put vndir purueaunce ? at 3908
so{ur}mounten ? e ordinaunce of destine. {and} ? o ben
? ilke ? at stably ben yficched ney to ? e first godhed ? ei
so{ur}mou{n}ten ? e ordre of destinal moeuablite.
[Sidenote: For even, as among several circles revolving round one
common centre, that which is innermost approaches nearest to the
simplicity of the middle points, and is, as it were, a centre,
round which the outward ones revolve;]
? For
ry? t as cercles ? at to{ur}nen aboute a same Centre or 3912
about a poynt. ? ilke cercle ? at is inrest or moost wi? -ynne
ioine? to ? e symplesse of ? e myddel {and} is as it
were a Centre or a poynt to ? at o? er cercles ? at tourne{n}
aboute{n} hym.
[Sidenote: whilst the outermost, revolving in a wider
circumference, the further it is from the centre describes a
larger space--but yet, if this circle or anything else be joined
to the middle point, it is constrained to be immovable. ]
? and ? ilke ? at is outerest compased by 3916
larger envyronnynge is vnfolden by larger spaces in so
mochel as it is for? est fro ? e mydel symplicite of ? e
poynt. and yif ? er be any ? i{n}g ? at knytte? {and} felawshippe?
hym selfe to ? ilke mydel poynt it is constreyned 3920
in to symplicite. ? at is to seyn in to [vn]moeueablete.
{and} it ceseth to ben shad {and} to fleti{n} dyuersly.
[Sidenote: By parity of reason, the further anything is removed
from the first intelligence, so much the more is it under the
control of Destiny;]
? Ry? t
so by semblable resou{n}. ?
ben axed. ? And to ? e whiche questiou{n} vnne? [e]s is
? ere au? t ynow to lauen it. as who sei? . vnne? es is ? er 3832
suffisauntly any ? ing to answere p{er}fitly to ? i questiou{n}.
[Sidenote: For the subject is of such a kind, that when one doubt
is removed, innumerable others, like the heads of the hydra,
spring up. ]
? For ? e matere of it is swiche ? at whan oon doute is [[pg 134]]
determined {and} kut awey ? er wexe{n} o? er doutes wi? -outen
nou{m}bre. ry? t as ? e heuedes waxen of ydre ? e 3836
serpent ? at hercules slou? .
[Sidenote: Nor would there be any end of them unless they were
restrained by a quick and vigorous effort of the mind. ]
? Ne ? ere ne were no
man{er}e ne noon ende. but yif ? at a wy? t co{n}streined[e]
? o doutes. by a ry? t lyuely {and} a quik fire of ? ou? t. ? at
is to seyn by vigo{ur} {and} streng? e of witte.
[Sidenote: The question whereof you want a solution embraces the
five following points: 1. Simplicity, or unity of Providence. 2.
The order and course of Destiny. ]
? For in 3840
? is matere me{n} weren wont to maken questiou{n}s of ? e
simplicite of ? e p{ur}ueaunce of god {and} of ? e ordre of
destine.
[Sidenote: 3. Sudden chance. 4. Prescience of God, and divine
predestination. 5. Free-will. ]
{and} of sodeyne hap. {and} of ? e knowyng {and}
p{re}destinac{i}ou{n} deuine {and} of ? e lyberte of fre wille. 3844
? e whiche ? ing ? ou ? i self ap{er}ceiust wel of what wey? t
? ei ben. but for as mochel as ? e knowynge of ? ise
? inges is a manere porc{i}ou{n} to ? e medicine to ? e. al be it
so ? at I haue lytel tyme to don it.
[Sidenote: I will try to treat of these things:--]
? it na? eles I wole 3848
enforcen me to shewe somwhat of it. ? but al ? ou?
? e norissinges of dite of musike delite? ? e ? ow most
suffren. {and} forberen a litel of ? ilk delite while ? at I
weue (contexo) to ? e resou{n}s yknyt by ordre ? As it like? 3852
to ? e q{uo}d I so do.
[Sidenote: Resuming her discourse as from a new principle,
Philosophy argued as follows:--]
? ? o spak she ry? t a[s] by an o? er
bygynnyn[ge] {and} seide ? us.
[Sidenote: The generation of all things, every progression of
things liable to change, and everything that moveth, derive their
causes, order, and form from the immutability of the divine
understanding. ]
? ? e enge{n}drynge of alle
? inges q{uo}d she {and} alle ? e progressiou{n}s of muuable
nat{ur}e. {and} alle ? {a}t moeue? in any manere taki? hys 3856
causes. hys ordre. {and} hys formes. of ? e stablenesse of ? e
deuyne ? ou? t
[Sidenote: Providence directs all things by a variety of means. ]
[{and} thilke deuyne thowht] ? at is yset {and}
put in ? e toure. ? at is to seyne in ? e hey? t of ? e simplicite
of god. stablisi? many manere gyses to ? inges ? at 3860
ben to don.
[Sidenote: These means, referred only to the divine intelligence,
are called Providence; but when contemplated in relation to the
things which receive motion and order from them, are called
Destiny. ]
? ? e whiche manere whan ? at men loken
it i{n} ? ilke pure clerenesse of ? e deuyne i{n}telligence. it
is ycleped p{ur}ueaunce ? but whan ? ilke manere is referred
by me{n} to ? inges ? at it moeue? {and} dispone? ? an [[pg 135]]
of olde men. it was cleped destine.
[Linenotes:
3823 _byhy? t_--by-hyhte
3824 _hidde_--hyd
3826 _preye_--p{re}ey
_diuise_--deuyse
3827 _do_--don
3828 _gretely_--gretly
3829 [_what_]--from C.
3832 _? ere au? t_--ther awht
3834 _swiche_--swych
_oon_--o
3835 _wi? outen noumbre_--w{i}t{h}-owte nowmbyr
3836 _waxen_--wexen
3837 _? ere_--ther
3838 _constreined[e]_--constreynede
3839 _lyuely_--lyfly
3840 _witte_--wit
3843 _hap_--happe
3845 _wey? t_--wyht
3848 _wole_--wol
3850 _? ow_--MS. now, C. ? {o}u
_most suffren_--MS. moste to souereyne; C. most suffren
3851 _? ilk_--thilke
3853 _? o_--so
_spak_--MS. spake, C. spak
_a[s]_--as
3856 _alle_--al
3858 [_and----thowht_]--from C.
_yset_--MS. ysette, C. yset
3859 _toure_--towr
_seyne_--seyn
_hey? t_--heyhte
3861 _don_--done
3862 _clerenesse_--klennesse]
[Headnote:
OF FATE AND PROVIDENCE. ]
[Sidenote: Reflection on the efficacy of the one and the other
will soon cause us to see their differences. ]
? ? e whiche 3865
? inges yif ? at any wy? t loke? wel in his ? ou? t.
? e streng? e of ? at oon {and} of ? at o? er he shal ly? tly mowen
seen ? at ? ise two ? inges ben diuers.
[Sidenote: Providence is the divine intelligence manifested in the
disposition of worldly affairs. ]
? For p{ur}ueau{n}ce 3868
is ? ilke deuyne resou{n} ? at is establissed in ? e souereyne
p{r}ince of ? inges. ? e whiche p{ur}ueaunce disponi? alle
? inges.
[Sidenote: Destiny or Fate is that inherent state or condition of
movable things by means whereof Providence retains them in the
order in which she has placed them. ]
but destine is ? e disposic{i}ou{n} {and} ordenaunce
cleuynge to moeuable ? inges. by ? e whiche disposic{i}ou{n} 3872
? e p{ur}ueaunce knyte? alle ? inges in hire ordres.
[Sidenote: Providence embraces all things, although diverse and
infinite; but Fate gives motion to every individual thing, and in
the place and under the form appropriated to it. ]
? For p{ur}ueaunce enbrace? alle ? i{n}ges to hepe. al ? ou? ? at
? ei ben dyuerse {and} al ? ou? ? ei ben wi? outen fyn. but
destynie dep{ar}te? {and} ordeyne? alle ? inges singlerly 3876
{and} diuide? . in moeuynges. in places. in formes. in
tymes. dep{ar}ti? [as] ? us.
[Sidenote: So that the explication of this order of things wrapt
up in the divine intelligence is Providence; and being unfolded
according to time and other circumstances, may be called Fate. ]
so ? at ? e vnfoldyng of temp{or}el
ordenaunce assembled {and} ooned in ? e lokyng of
? e deuyne ? ou? t ? Is p{ur}ueaunce {and} ? ilke same 3880
assemblynge. {and} oonyng diuided {and} vnfolden by
tymes. lat ? at ben called destine.
[Sidenote: Though these things appear to differ, yet one of them
depends on the other, for the order of Fate proceeds from the
unity of Providence. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 30 _b_. ]]
{and} al be *it so ? at
? ise ? inges ben dyuerse. ? itte na? eles hange? ? at oon
on ? at o? er. forwhi ? e ordre destinal p{ro}cedi? of ? e 3884
simplicite of purueaunce.
[Sidenote: For as a workman, who has formed in his head the plan
of a work which he is desirous to finish, executes it afterwards,
and produces after a time all the different parts of the model
which he has conceived;]
for ry? t as a werkma{n} ? at
ap{er}ceiue? in hys ? ou? t ? e forme of ? e ? ing ? at he wil
make moeue? ? e effect of ? e werke. {and} ledi? ? at he
had[de] loked byforne in hys ? ou? t symply {and} p{re}sently 3888
by temp{or}el ? ou? t.
[Sidenote: so God in the plan of his Providence disposes
everything to be brought about in a certain order and in a proper
time;]
? Certys ry? t so god disponi?
in hys p{ur}ueaunce singlerly {and} stably ? e ? inges
? at ben to done. but he amynistre? in many maneres
{and} in dyuerse tymes by destyne. ? ilke same ? inges 3892
? at he ha? disponed ? an whe? ir ? at destine be excercised.
[Linenotes:
3872 _cleuynge_--clyuynge
3875 _wi? outen fyn_--Infynyte
3876 _singlerly_--syngulerly
3877 _in_ (3)--MS. {and}, C. in
3878 _departi? _--omitted
[_as_]--from C.
_so ? at_--lat
3884 _on_--of
3886 _wil_--wol
3888 _had[de]_--hadde
_symply_--symplely
3889 _? ou? t_--ordinau{n}ce
3890 _singlerly_--syngulerly
_stably_--stablely
3893 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
PROVIDENCE CONTROLS FATE. ]
[Sidenote: and afterwards, by the ministry of Fate, he
accomplishes what he has planned, conformably to that order and
that time. ]
ey? er by so{m}me dyuyne spirites seruaunte? to
? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce. or ellys by so{m}me soule (a{n}i{m}a
mundi). or ellys by al nature seruynge to god. or ellys [[pg 136]]
by ? e celestial moeuyng of sterres. or ellys by ? e vertue 3897
of aungels. or ellys by ? e dyuerse subtilite of deueles.
or ellys by any of he{m}. or ellys by hem alle ? e destynal
ordynau{n}ce is ywouen or accomplissed. certys it is open 3900
? ing ? at ? e p{ur}ueaunce is an vnmoeueable {and} symple
forme of ? inges to done. {and} ? e moeueable bonde {and}
? e temp{or}el ordynaunce of ? inges whiche ? at ? e deuyne
simplicite of p{ur}ueaunce ha? ordeyned to done. ? at is 3904
destine.
[Sidenote: So then, however Fate be exercised, it is evident that
things subject to Destiny are under the control of Providence,
which disposes Destiny. ]
For whiche it is ? at alle ? inges ? at ben put
vndir destine ben certys subgit? to p{ur}ueaunce. to
whiche p{ur}ueaunce destine it self is subgit {and} vndir.
[Sidenote: But some things under Providence are exempt from the
control of Fate; being stably fixed near to the Divinity himself,
and beyond the movement of Destiny. ]
? But so{m}me ? inges ben put vndir purueaunce ? at 3908
so{ur}mounten ? e ordinaunce of destine. {and} ? o ben
? ilke ? at stably ben yficched ney to ? e first godhed ? ei
so{ur}mou{n}ten ? e ordre of destinal moeuablite.
[Sidenote: For even, as among several circles revolving round one
common centre, that which is innermost approaches nearest to the
simplicity of the middle points, and is, as it were, a centre,
round which the outward ones revolve;]
? For
ry? t as cercles ? at to{ur}nen aboute a same Centre or 3912
about a poynt. ? ilke cercle ? at is inrest or moost wi? -ynne
ioine? to ? e symplesse of ? e myddel {and} is as it
were a Centre or a poynt to ? at o? er cercles ? at tourne{n}
aboute{n} hym.
[Sidenote: whilst the outermost, revolving in a wider
circumference, the further it is from the centre describes a
larger space--but yet, if this circle or anything else be joined
to the middle point, it is constrained to be immovable. ]
? and ? ilke ? at is outerest compased by 3916
larger envyronnynge is vnfolden by larger spaces in so
mochel as it is for? est fro ? e mydel symplicite of ? e
poynt. and yif ? er be any ? i{n}g ? at knytte? {and} felawshippe?
hym selfe to ? ilke mydel poynt it is constreyned 3920
in to symplicite. ? at is to seyn in to [vn]moeueablete.
{and} it ceseth to ben shad {and} to fleti{n} dyuersly.
[Sidenote: By parity of reason, the further anything is removed
from the first intelligence, so much the more is it under the
control of Destiny;]
? Ry? t
so by semblable resou{n}. ?
